Doctors Notes

I think that the world of mental health and physical health would be a better place if we were able to make additions to our doctors' notes. We are not just a collection of observations and reports; there is no dignity and respect in that. Our health care should be a co-creation where we get to have as much input in our mental health picture as professionals do. We are the experts of us! We are the ones living this every day! Having co-creation over medical notes would mean you could correct anything that was out of sync with what is actually happening for us. Sometimes medical professionals do not listen fully or, God forbid, get things wrong. Yes, it happens no matter their status, education, or professional qualification; they are human, and they make mistakes. The issue is that these mistakes can intrinsically affect an individual's self-esteem and life with the stroke of a key on a keypad. There are several ways that I ask you to join me in addressing this one-sided dynamic in medical note-making. Let's take our voices back, let's advocate for co-creation in our journey. Under the GDPR, you can ask the GP to amend your medical records if you believe the record to be inaccurate or incomplete. I believe that having a personal statement regarding how you would like to be treated, how you see your mental health experience, and how you would not like to be treated are missing aspects of a complete medical record. I ask you all today to consider asking the GP to add this information regardless of the outcome. Taking action to advocate on your behalf is enough.